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Monday, April 27, 2015

Some Things I'm Learning

Just a few of the things I'm learning lately... In no particular order:
-I can live in 99 degree weather without A/C (I'm challenging myself to hold out until it's in the 100s at least!), which makes the high 70s and low 80s feel cool. And when I cross to Texas and enter a place where the A/C is set in the 60s or 70s, I nearly freeze. One of these days I'll remember to start bringing a jacket or something with me.
-I'm getting better at playing chess, and I've beat Alfredo a couple of times. I legitimately think I won the last time and that he didn't just let me win. At least I hope...
-I'm learning all about Mexican school homework-- for varying ages and subjects-- good, bad, and neutral.
-I've been speaking enough Spanish that sometimes things just don't sound right in English anymore. I find I invent words that sound right to me but aren't, such as "unrational". Admittedly, I do the same in Spanish still too, but it's not my native language, so I just try to make up words I don't remember or know to begin with! ;)
-I've learned how to get a pre-paid cell phone plan and how to monthly recharge it, as well as how to enter the right codes to make sure it's actually entered right on my phone.
-For the good or the bad, I'm learning to drive more like a Mexican (Ohioans, beware!), and I continue to learn where more things are around town.
-I've learned there are still people here that drive horse and buggies for transportation.
-I have an irrational fear that anytime I enter a dark room and feel for the light switch there will surely be a tarantula or some other type of equally unappealing creature waiting for me on the switch.

Unfortunately, I don't have my new cell phone connector cord with me to upload any recent photos today, so they'll have to wait for now, but below I'll try to add some old pics or videos I have saved from my first week here. I know, today's is not the most exciting post, but I'll be back in the next week or so. In the meantime, I'm looking forward to a group from Plain City UMC from Ohio coming to visit the kiddos this weekend!

Gaby helping with the dentistry clinic last month:

Some of the kiddos actually enjoying some down time with suckers and watching a ventriloquist video:

There were some goats grazing outside the orphanage one day on my way home:

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One of the things I miss from home- my wall of crosses I've collected from different countries and places I've visited. For safe-keeping, I wrapped them and left them in storage in Ohio, instead of bringing them with me:

But this helps make up for it... Not for sale, a cross Flavio made from the scraps of other crosses he has made to sell: